NewsRecord Weekly Publication

Friendly Observer

By Arthur Keefe

Election time

Election time is approaching and nominations have now closed. As usual, the various loose and ever changing alliances called political parties have seen switchers and old allies become competitors.

In most countries, political parties are based on a set of principles or long-range policies. These may be vague at times as every side pitches for the center ground where the swing voters are to be found.

Francois Hollande, the newly elected president of France, stood on a platform of leftist alternative to the outgoing Sarkozy. In practice, given the dire position of the Euro and the fact that France is in recession, his policies of economic retrenchment are similar to those of the rightist Sarkozy. There are, however, important differences of detail which confirm his leftist leaning. For example, he has raised taxes very sharply on the better off, with a top rate of 75 percent. He still cuts public spending but gives protection to the least well-off.

In the UK, the present Conservative government has attacked those in public benefits, whilst cutting taxes for the highest paid. However, the outgoing Labour (leftist) government also had plans to reign in public spending to cut the deficit and lift the UK out of the recession they seem stuck in. as in France, the main difference was in the detail, with the Labour government making the better off carry much of the burden.

The difference in the Philippines is that there is very little discernable difference between the parties and the idea of comprehensive set of election promises (a manifesto), on which they intend to be judged in office, is largely absent.

Instead, the election is around personalities, most of whom are no more than an amalgam of self promotion and marketing ploys. The real personality is, in fact, little known.

The problem for the electorate is that they have no real choice of policy. No choice of left or right. No program to hold their representatives to account.

I am sometimes told that this is a consequence of being a young democracy and it is true that many other recently freed colonies have similar problems.

However, creating a political program involving wide consultation, offering this to the electorate as a manifesto, and being held to account for its implementation is not a hard thing to do. I can only suspect that it is not done as no program means no accountability!

 Other problems well rehearsed in this column previously include vote-buying, promises of patronage (or vindictiveness), intimidation, and controlled votes.

I was pleased to see at one election all the parties in San Carlos signed a memorandum to avoid these practices. How disappointed I was to see little heed paid to this practice. Old habits die hard!

The fault lies both with the candidate and with the electorate. Is your democratic right, so hard-won by your predecessors, really only worth P 50 or so? Are you really so cowed that you will vote only as you are told? Are you really so impressed with the celebrity status of an actor, boxer, a singer or a TV star, that you vote for them regardless of their politics?

Name recognition seems to carry more weight than competence which is no doubt why JV Ejercito, son of former president Joseph Ejercito Estrada, is changing his name to JV Estrada!

No country, to my knowledge, has the same almost feudal power as the family dynasties here. Dela Cruz seems to be the latest to assume it can (and might well) capture nearly all the seats it chooses at all levels. Marcos, Ampatuan, Osmeña, Garcia, Aquino-you can all add to the list of clans you recognize.

All in all, democracy here is a tender plant in need of much nurture. Filipinos take elections seriously but really have very limited powers to change either the ruling elite or the pro-capitalist, pro-Western policies they all espouse.

Oh for a Chavez (Venezuela), Morrello (Bolivia), even an Hollande (France)! All are left of center, have begun a transformation of the lives of the poor, and all have been elected by a majority via the ballot box.

Why is this just a dream to the Philippines?

The old parties and the old politics has not served us well. How about some new parties, new politics, and new processes? Can the ballot box replace the rifle as the way of registering dissent and a vision of better tomorrow?